Kneel Before Me Even in My Faults
by MissMandS
Summary: Hobbits have spent centuries in hiding and being known only as a legend. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit determined to change that though. He's spent his life waiting for the arrival of the wizard Gandalf the Grey so that he may seek out a favor that the wizard owes him and with that favor lead those in a revolution to take back their true home and no longer be known as a legend.
1. Chapter 1

Three hobbits sit at a table in Bree, each of them dressed in cloaks and each of them oblivious to the sounds around them. One sits with a full tankard of ale in front of him, one which he's been ignoring since he received it. Another one sits with a pipe clenched between her teeth, puffing almost angrily on it and the other one's feet swing back and forth beneath the table as his eyes shift around the busy inn.

"This will be an adventure you said uncle?" The one swinging his feet asks.

"Yes Frodo my boy, this will be quite an adventure if I do say so myself. Now do you both remember what you're supposed to do when I give the signal? Prim?"

"I'm to erase everyone's memories and with a flick of my wrist clean up whatever remains here." Prim blows a smoke ring towards him.

"Excellent and Frodo what are you supposed to do?"

"I'm supposed to stay under the table." There's no answer but a hum and as the door to the inn opens all three of their heads swivel to look. A man wearing a rangers cloak heads straight for their table, the heavy stomp of his boots echoing throughout the inn.

"I heard rumor that three hobbits were spotted in Bree." The man says as he joins them at the table and grabbing the tankard of ale. They wait until he has finished drinking it before they start talking again.

"I was worried that's all it would be was a rumor." He continues, pulling out his pipe from within his cloak.

"Has the wizard arrived yet Strider?" Bilbo asks and follows the tilt of Strider's chin towards the stooped shoulders hidden beneath long gray hair. He scans the length of the room, searching for the dwarf. He can hear everything: the roar of drunken people laughing, the slap of their hands as they grab onto one another and the snorts into their ales. The air reeks of ale, sweat and pipe smoke. There's the faintest scent of metal, of beads and beard and it's all tinged by frustration. Bilbo's nostrils flare as the scent of anticipation and dark bloodlust. A fat man blind in one eye sits with his pipe, the other one lean with a somewhat crazed gleam of determination on his face as he watches. Bilbo raps his knuckles on the table once, standing and walking towards the lean man. Behind him Strider stands up, moving towards the heavy man as Frodo ducks beneath the table and Primula spins around on her spot.

It's easy to slip between the legs of the people walking around the inn who either don't see Bilbo or nearly trip on him. He doesn't pay attention to the scraping of their boots, listening only to the sound of Strider's which get closer and closer to the fat man. With each step that brings him closer to the lean man the stronger the scent of dark bloodlust gets until Bilbo is nearly bowled over by it. He's standing behind him, his nostrils flaring at the sharpness.

There's a gurgled shout and then a woman screaming. Bilbo reaches into his sleeve and pulling out his dagger sinks it into the flesh of the man's stomach. He lets out a yowl as Bilbo lifts the dagger, sinking it time and time again into his flesh. With a final stab Bilbo yanks it out, watching as the man collapses from the bench. Across the inn Strider throws the fat man to the ground, his neck sliced open and his pipe crushed beneath Strider's heavy boot.

The inn is filled with the sounds of screams as people try to get past one another in a failed attempt to get out the door. From her spot on the bench Primula looks unimpressed as she lifts her legs to sit cross legged. She turns her head, looking over the sea of people and meeting Bilbo's eye, rapping her knuckles on the table once. Bilbo slips through the legs of the panicking people and towards the table where the wizard and dwarf sit. The dwarf's hand clutches the hilt of his sword tightly, his face drawn with worry as he looks around the inn.

"What is happening?" He demands.

"It would be in your best interest to take your hand off your sword. If you wish to leave this place with your memory intact and to get your home back then I suggest you come with me." Bilbo holds the blood soaked dagger up to the dwarf's neck. He looks towards the wizard, flashing him a grin.

"Wonderful to see you again Gandalf, I believe that it's time for you to return the favor." Gandalf sighs, avoiding the dwarf's eyes as Bilbo lifts a dagger in other hand, spinning it around until it points towards him.

"I'm torn between thanking you for saving the life of Thorin Oakenshield and scolding you for doing it in such a tasteless fashion Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf grouses.

"Tasteless perhaps, but Thorin's life is saved and as far as these drunkards know, nothing has happened." Bilbo waves a dagger towards the other occupants of the inn who have returned to drinking and laughing, the bodies of the men gone.

"Now either Primula can remove the veil and we can all leave this inn together peacefully to discuss the favor that you owe to me. And then we can discuss the favor that Thorin Oakenshield needs from me. Or she can remove the veil, we will go home and you will be left attempting to find your way to the Shire without the guidance of a hobbit and there will never be a home for the disgraced dwarves of Erebor."

"I hope you realize how much your Took side is showing Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf says. Bilbo motions for Primula to drop the veil and with a grin spins one of his daggers, walking towards the door with a bounce in his step.

* * *

This story (as of now) will not contain any romantic relationships. There might be some implied or flirty friendships between characters but as far as Bagginshield or outright romance between other characters goes, I don't exactly plan on it. It will just kind of be a general with some implied.


	2. Chapter 2

Bilbo has barely stepped out of the inn before Thorin Oakenshield is standing in front of him. He keeps his hands off his weapons this time as he stares down at Bilbo, his jaw clenched tightly. Gandalf stands behind Bilbo, gripping his staff tightly and watching over the two as Strider, Primula and Frodo come to stand behind him.

"We will not need ponies where we're going; they will not be able to make the walk through the forest anyways. If you have one leave it here, Butterbur will find some use for it. And might I suggest that you walk between Strider and I lest you get lost in the woods forever. Gandalf by Frodo, Primula you lead us." Bilbo calls. They take a moment to rearrange themselves and then begin to walk away from the inn.

For a while they walk in silence, the only sound the rain that pours down steadily. Thorin walks between Bilbo and Strider without a word, his jaw clenched tightly and his hood pulled up. He doesn't look at them but stares at the back of Primula's head as she leads them out of Bree. It's not until she leads them down a rocky path and he begins to slip through the mud that he begins to talk again.

"Mahal's sake halfling, isn't there an easier way to get into the Shire?" Thorin asks as he yanks his foot free from the mud. In front of him Primula practically dances across the rocks, not looking the least bit bothered by the mud or the rain.

"The only way into the Shire is on these paths. We do not take just anyone down these paths and those who are normally taken down them do not return. Now stand back please." Primula has lead them to a clearing where two enormous Weeping Willow trees stand, their long branches brushing the ground. She stops and takes a moment to admire them then like a bird about to take flight lifts her arms above her head and stretches them out. The branches groan and then creak as the leaves open up, giving way to an entrance. Primula lowers her arms and gestures for them to hurry through the trees.

"Be careful when you step through, take only five steps and then stop or else you'll fall into the river." Primula cautions as Thorin walks by her.

"How exactly do we get across the river?" Thorin asks, turning to watch as the trees close, hiding the entrance once more. Bilbo walks with one foot in front of the other, counting the steps beneath his breath as he kneels and picks up a piece of grass. He blows on it three times, emitting a high pitched tune and through the whistle Thorin can hear a paddle on the water.

Bilbo nearly laughs at the expression on Thorin's face as the barge comes into view. Bard's eyes flicker over Thorin first, lingering on the beards and the beads in his hair before they move to Gandalf. Her survey lasts only for a few moments before she turns a wholly unimpressed look towards Bilbo, gesturing for them to get on.

"How is everything back at the house?" Bilbo asks as he comes to stand beside her.

"Things are exactly as you left them though I fear we might soon have a fight on our hands when Glorfindel and Nori realize they're both using loaded dice. I see you found the wizard and…Another dwarf." Bard raises her eyebrows, her already grim face deepening with a frown as she looks down at him.

"There will be time for talk later when there are fewer ears around." Bilbo tilts his head towards Thorin who watches them.

"The Shire did not always look like this. There used to be more trees and flowers; the grass was greener. It wasn't so…Lonely." Bilbo says to Thorin, joining him at the side of the barge.

"What am I to expect when we enter your, well wherever it is you're taking me." Thorin asks.

"We're nearly there and I suggest that you keep any bad words about elves to yourself. There will be food and other things offered to you, not out of pity but because that is just how we do. Do not mistake our ways for pity."

"We're here." Bard calls, pulling the barge up to the docks. Bilbo looks at Bag End and sighs, his shoulders sagging as he stares at the round green door illuminated in the moonlight. There are muffled shouts coming from inside and a baby's grunts quickly threatening to turn into a wail. He barely gives Bard a chance to tie up the barge before he's stepping off and marching for the front door.

"Bilbo, ah perhaps you should let someone else go in first." Gandalf's calls go ignored by Bilbo who pulls the door open and moves straight for the dining room.

Sitting at the table are Glorfindel, Erestor and Nori. Glorfindel and Nori point to dice in the middle of the table, both of them shouting and glaring at the other one as Erestor jiggles a reddening Tilda in his arms.

"I knew it, your dice are loaded Nori!" Glorfindel yells, shaking his finger at Nori.

"Oh, like you're innocent. Your dice are loaded too."

"Would both of you just play without loaded dice? I'm trying to put her to sleep." Erestor grouses as Tilda lets out a particularly loud growl. Bilbo clears his throat and their shouts die down as the three turn to look at him with sheepish expressions.

"We've got a guest so Glorfindel if you would please clean off the table, Erestor give Tilda over to Bard and Nori…Just, just behave yourself." Bilbo settles himself on the bench, holding his arms out to Nori. Her transformation takes only seconds and then she's curled up in his lap, purring loudly against his arm. Beside him Erestor shifts Tilda so that she's facing outward, sighing as she continues her fussing.

"I will never understand why children fuss and grouse and…Children." Erestor says weakly, handing her over to Bard who enters the dining room. Lifting her shirt Bard snorts, lifting an eyebrow at Erestor who looks all too relieved to have his arms empty.

"You are fine with children Erestor; it is babies that you struggle to understand. Now has anyone gotten our guests dinner?"

"I'm getting it. Where are our guests even?" Glorfindel calls from the kitchen.

"Primula is showing them to their rooms." Bard says quietly, sighing as the sounds of suckling fill the room. For a while the only sounds are Tilda's suckling, Nori's purring and the tapping of Erestor's fingers on the tabletop. Thorin and Gandalf are quiet when they come into the dining room, neither one talking as they eat their soup. As he finishes his bowl Thorin pauses, staring hard at Nori in Bilbo's arms.

"I knew of a cat in the Blue Mountains that looked like yours. Belonged to a dwarf Nori, son of Kori." In his arms Nori lifts her head, yawning and flashing her canines as her head returns to its human form.

"I go by daughter of Kori now." Thorin turns pale, gulps a mouthful of air and then promptly faints.

* * *

In case there's any confusion: Nori is a trans woman and female Bard looks the same as male Bard except for some curves from childbirth; facial hair included. That'll all be explained here in a couple chapters.


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